Apparatus for the treatment of shale or the like.



R. M. CATUN. APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF SHALE OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED AUGQ. I917.

Patented July 16, 191.8,

I l 1 1 1/ I I I ROBERT M. CATLIN, OF FRANKLIN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR'TO CATLIN SHALE PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A'QQRPORATIGN OF DELAWARE.

APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF HAIiE OR THE LIKE.

To aZZ wlwmz't may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. CATLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Franklin, county of Sussex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the --".lreatment of Shale. or the like, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying draw- ,such that the material is conveyed through i a closed being a preferred einbodlment thereof. The drznving shows a view partly in verapparatusconstructed in shale or other "material the retort without any clogging and so as to make possible an increased product. I

It is a. furtherobject of the invention to provide an apparatus having provision for adjusting the amount of material supplied to the retort or the like.

The following specification describes and the accompanying drawing illustrates apparatus constructed in accordance with the in vention, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the invention, the fornrhereindistical section and partly-inside elevation-of accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawing,

to be treated, is placed, properly crushed, in a hopper 15 having in its bottom an outlet in which seats a conical valve 16 secured to a rod 17 operated in any suitable manner to open and close the valve.

19. In the present embodiment, there are fhur of these retorts of which two appear in the drawing, the other two being in the same planes as those shown.' In that portion of each retort which extends into the feed tanks, is a receiving port 20 for the re ception of the materiel being treated. The four retorts 19 pass. through a furnace 21 comprising walls 22 and floor 23 of firebrick and supported by a base'24. As will be apdischarge end.

bituminous lVhen the valve is open, the material drops into a feed tank 18 into' ,avhich extends a number of tube like retorts' Speeification-of Letters Patent. Patented July 16, 1915.

Application filed August 9, 1917. Serial No. 185,244.

parent from the drawing, the retorts. slant upward from the receiving end toward the I The invention includes means for supplying heat to the furnace, thereby .to heat the retorts. Although capable of various constructions, in the present embodiment, beneath the furnace 21 is a grate or fuel chamber 25 having an end 'opening26 tor the introduct ion of fuel and a plurality of top openings 27 communicating with. the furnace 21. The furnace is covered with a roof 28 provided with a number of openings 128 for the escape of the waste gases. When a suitable fuel is burned in the grate the hot gases .pass up through the openings 27 into the furnace and on up around the retorts, passirig out by the escape ports 128, providing the required heat for the retorts. As shown the furnace is'adapted for oil burning, and

openings 27 difiuse' the oil blast.

The invention includes 7 means for conveying the shale or other material through the retorts from the lower receiving end to the higher delivery end and in structures embodying the invention to "the best advantage the feed is so designed that the material is fed forward faster and is spread out in a thinner mass as it approaches the delivery end of the retorts. This may be accomplish'ed, for example, by mechanism comprising a shaft having means associated therewith for increasing the speed of feed and for gradually spreading or thinning out the mass as it moves through the retort. Although capable of various constructions. in

the form shown, journaled inbearings 30' supported by brackets 31 on the side of the feed tank, and in bearings 32 supported by a yoke 33 at thedelivery end of the apparatus, are shafts 34, each shaft being'inclosed in a retort. On the end of each shaft, at the delivery end, 'is. a gear 35, all four meshing with a central master gear .36 mounted on a' stud 37 journaled in the yoke 33. On this stud is alsoinounted a ratchet 38 driven in any suitable manner to drive the four conveyor shafts through the stud and the master gear 36. As shown, the other ends of the shafts are providpd with gears 39, the members of the upper and lower pairs being respectively in mesh. Each conveye'r shaft 34 is provided with a helical blade-40, the pitch of which varies, being the volatile constituents, and an increased production is obtained.

At the delivery end, the conveyors empty through a discharge pipe 44 for delivering the spent products to a suitable Water supply for quenching the same and for sealing mentioned.

the pipe to prevent the admission of air to the retorts. For the delivery of the unconden'sed vapors and gases,-a pipe 41 is tapped into the upper part of the feed tank. Another pipe &2, tapped into the lower portion of the feed tank, serves to carry away the evolved oils, which run or trickle down the inclined retorts and pass into the tank 18 via openings 43.

The inventlon includesmeans'for regulat ing the amount of material received by a retort and in structures embodying thein:

vention to the best advantage there is provided, in each retort, a receivlng port, the available size of which may be adjusted. Although capable of various constructions,

in the form shown, that portion of each retort which extends into the feed tank is. a I

separate sleeve, rotatable in th'e ibearing bracket 31'and in a similar bracket 46, a complementary bracket l7 serving tosup" port the end'of the stationary part of the retort at the joint. Formed in this rotatable sleeve is the receiving port 20 heretofore By rotating the sleeve, a

- greater or less portion of the port is positioned to receive material falling from the hopper and so the amount received by the retort for conveyance therethrough is regulated as desired. 1

It is believed that the operation of the apparatus will be clear Without further description.

What is" claimed is:

1. In apparatus for, the treatment of ma terials such as shale, a retort, and a conveyer for moving the material through the retort including means for-spreading out the material in a thinner mass near the delivery end of the retort.

2. In apparatus for the treatment 0:E, ma-

my hand.-

terials such as shale, a retort, and a conveyor for moving the material through the retort including means for spreading out the material in a gradually thinning mass as it approaches the delivery end of theretort.

8. In apparatus for the treatment of materials such as shale, a retort, and a conveyer for moving the material through the retort including means for feeding the material faster near the delivery end.

l. In apparatus for the treatment of materials such as shale, a retort, and a conveyer for moving the material through the retort including means for gradually in creasing the speed of the feed.

5. The combination of a retort, and a conveyor, 'for moving the material to be treated through the retort, having a helical blade of varying pitch.

6. The combination of a retort, and a co-nveyer,. for moving the material to be treated through the retort, having a helical blade greater in pitch at the delivery end than at the receiving end.

7. The combination of a retort, and a conveyor, for moving the material. to be treated through the retort, having a helical blade gradually increasing in pitch toward the delivery end. r

8. The combination of a retort, a hopper for feeding material totheretort, a receiving port in said retort, and means for adjustingthe available size of said port.

a 9. The combination of a retort, a hopper for feeding material to the retort, and a receiving port in said retort, .that portion of the retort in which said port is located be ing rotatable to adjust the available size of said port.

10. The combination of a retort, a conveyer for moving the material to be treated through theretort, having a helical blade of gradually increasing pitch, and a ratchet for drivingsaid conveyer.

11-. The combination of a tubular retort, and a conveyor, for moving the material to be treated through the retort, having a helical blade of varying pitch.

12. The combination of .a tubular retort, and a conveyor, for moving the material to be treated through the retort, having a helical blade of varying pitch, said retort being concentric with the convey'er and having a radius slightly larger than that of the con veyer. 4

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set noes-MM. carers. 

